Cushioning panel



April 12, 1932. OXHANDLER CUSHIONING PANEL Filed April 1930 JiZa'HfOT'J Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEOPOLD OXHANDLE-R, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T ORENDA CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CUSHIONING PANEL Application filed April 5,

The present invention relates to sheet material adaptcd to constitute a protective cushion for objects supported or covered thereby, and has for its object to produce a material of this kind which shall be inexpensive and at the same time highly efiicient.

In its broader aspects myimproved product may be used wherever so-called corrugated board is now used and therefore, con

* sidered in one of its aspects, my invention may be said to have for its object to produce a cushioning material possessing advantages over such board.

In packing eggs and other fragile articles in cellular structures open at the top and bottom and spaced apart by means of sheets known as flats, it is desirable that the sheets serve as effective cushions for the articles resting thereon and also that the sheets be interlocked with the walls or partitions of the cellular structures in order to brace the same. Viewed in another of its aspects, my invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel cushioning and interlocking fiat. I

In accordance with my invention, I produce a sheet or panel having numerous more or less yielding bulges on at least one face, these bulges forming outer walls of sealed air pockets within the sheet, whereby an article resting on the bulges is supported by air cushions. Therefore, viewed in a specific aspect, my invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel cushioning sheet which shall provide air cushions to protect objects supported thereby or covered therewith.

Since my improved composite sheet is in the nature of a hollow panel, the interior of which is divided into numerous air cells, it may be used to advantage as an insulation against heat or cold. Therefore, viewed in another of its aspects, the present invention 5 may be said to have for its object to produce a simple, novel and inexpensive sheet mate- 1930. Serial No. 441,761.

rial possessing the property of efliciently insulating against heat or cold.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a fragment of a panel embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3, showing two modifications.

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in structures composed of a plurality of sheets joined together and shaped to serve as flats for use in packaging eggs or other fragile articles and, for the sake of brevity, the detailed description will be confined to these particular forms, although my invention is not, of course, limited thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, 1 represents a sheet of yieldable and'preferably fibrous material of substantially uniform thickness throughout, molded, pressed or otherwise made so as to divide it into square raised sections or plateaus 2. These raised sections are closely spaced and arranged in two sets of rows at right angles to each other. The spaces between the plateaus constitute two series of narrow, uniformly spaced, deep valleys 3 and 4 extending entirely across the sheet in two directions at right angles to each other. Each plateau is deformed to produce cushioning elements which also serve to reenforce and brace the side walls of the plateau. These elements, as illustrated, are parallel ribs or corrugations 5.

It will therefore be seen that the sheet has on the upper side numerous bulges or convexities and on the under side numerous concavities. Underlying the sheet, and joined thereto by a suitable adhesive 6, 1s a fiat sheet 7 which seals the concavities and transforms them into closed pockets in which. air is confined. Consequently, my improved product has a cushioning effect due not only to the inherent qualities of the shaped paper or other material, but also to the confined air.

Where the sheets are made of fibrous material, such as a paper product, they are preferably waterproofed so that moisture will not affect them. The waterproofing also makes the enclosures for the pocketed air more air ti ht and prevents or'retards the flattening 0% the air cushions under external pressure. v

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modification in which two sheets 10 and 11, similar to the sheet 1, are fastened together back to back,

with their concavities registering with each other, thus making very deep air pockets. Whereas the sheet 7 in Figs. 1 to 3 may be much thinner than the sheet 1 if desired, the sheets 10 and 11 are preferably both to be of heavy or thick material.

In Fig. 5 the construction combines the features of the other two forms, the two similar sheets 10 and 11 being secured together with a flat sheet interposed between them. There are of course two layers of adhesive, one between the sheet 7 and each of the other sheets.

In using my invention, in the form shown, for packaging eggs, for example, the partitions are set in the valleys or grooves, so that the bottom of each cell consists of an air cushion and the partitions are locked against lateral displacement. uses will be evident Without further explanation.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a few simple forms of 7 my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arran ements which come within the definitions 0? my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cushionin member in the form of a fibrous sheet 05 approximately uniform thickness throughout divided into a series of plateaus rising from one face and separated from each other by narrow uniformly spaced valleys extending across the sheet in two groups at right angles to each other, and a second sheet secured to the other face of said fibrous sheet and forming with the sides and tops of the plateaus sealed individual air pockets.

2. A packing board including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed to form a continuous line in a single plane, a substantially air-tight sheet adhered to said depressed portions to form a sealed cell, and

The action in other tions depressed to form continuous lines in a single plane, said depressed portions also being adhered to said sheet.

4. A cushioning member in the form of a fibrous sheet of approximately uniform thickness throughout divided into a series of plateaus rising from one face and separated from each other by narrow uniformly spaced valleys extending across the sheet in two groups at right angles to each other, a second flat sheet secured to the other face of said. fibrous sheet and forming with the sides and tops of the plateaus sealed individual air pockets, and a third sheet, similar to the first-mentioned sheet, secured to said second sheet and forming therewith sealed individual air pockets' 5. A sheet or panel including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed deeply along a series of endless lines in a single plane, each endless line surrounding an area that is long and wide as compared to the depth of the depression, and a sheet adhered to said member in said plane and forming therewith long, wide, deep sealed cells.

6. A sheet or panel including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed deeply along a series of endless lines in a single plane, each endless line surrounding an area that is long and wide as compared to the depth of the depression, a sheet adhered to said member in said plane and forming therewith long, wide, deep sealed cells, and an additional corrugated member attached to one of said previously named members.

7. A sheet or panel including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed deeply along a series of endless lines in a single plane, each endless line surrounding an area that is long and Wide as compared to the depth of the depression, a flat sheet adhered to said member in said plane and forming therewith long, wide, deep sealed cells, and a second corrugated fibrous member similar to the aforesaid fibrous member adhered to said flat sheet and forming therewith a second group of long, wide, deep cells.

8. A sheet or panel including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed deeply along a series of endless lines in a single plane, each endless line surrounding an area that is long and wide as compared to the depth of the depression, each such area being corrugated, and a sheet adhered to said member in said plane andforming therewith long, wide, deep sealed cells.

9. A sheet or panel including a corrugated fibrous member having portions depressed deeply along a series of endless lines in a single plane, each endless line surrounding an area that is long and wide as compared to the depth of the depression, each such area being provided with corrugations the bottoms of which lie at a considerable distance above said plane, and a sheet adhered to said member in said plane and forming therewith long, wide, deep sealed cells.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

LEOPOLD OXHANDLER. 

